7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Chess Merit BadgeChess Strategy and Tactics:A Blueprint for Effective Plansby Joseph L. Bell 2011

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Chess Strategy & TacticsStrategyTacticsWays to find a Plan 2011Page *Chess Merit BadgeThe opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

Sun Tzu, The Art of War

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What is Strategy ?Strategy: Strategy in Chess is the planning of how to get various kinds of advantage in the game.Tactics: Types of moves that can result in an advantage, if the opportunity exists to use it 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *Tactics flow from a superior position. - Bobby Fischer

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Elements of StrategyCommon elements of Strategy are: 1) Exploiting Weakness 2) Force 3) King Safety, 4) Pawn Structure, 5) Space, 6) Tempo, and 7) Time.

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Exploiting WeaknessAnalyze where your opponents position is weak and your pieces can take advantage of that weakness:Unprotected piecesTwo attacks on a piece defended oncePoor King safetyPawn structure weaknessDevelop a plan to exploit the weakness. 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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ForceThe relative power of pieces on each side (usually evaluated by total point value of the pieces)ORUsing more pieces to attack than your opponent can bring to defend a key square. 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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King SafetyKing safety means assuring that your King is in a safe place.Castling is a way to increase King safetyLater in the game, creating a space for your King (called a Luft, which is German for air) prevent back rank checkmatesRegularly review the safety of your King 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Pawn StructurePawn structure is the arrangement of pawns on the boardPawns that are isolated, doubled or backward are weaker than other pawn structures. Pawn chains are strongerOpenings in the pawn structure either allow or prevent attacks: Read the pawn structure to identify likely attacks 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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SpaceSpace is the squares that your pieces controlMore space makes it easier to put pieces in position for an effective attackLess space can make it more difficult to defend against an attack 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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TempoTempo refers to moves. Being ahead in tempo gives your pieces more mobility.Forcing your opponent to react can lead to an advantage in tempoIn a pawn race to promote to a Queen, one tempo can decide the game

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TimeTime can refer to tempo, or to Time ControlA player with much less time to complete the remaining moves for a time control can be under time pressure 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Tactics The Basic TypesMake Your Opponents Pieces Less MobileGive More Attacks Than Your Opponent Can HandleRemove the Defender 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved. Sun Tzu, The Art of War

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Make His Pieces Less MobilePinsSkewersInterposingZugzwang 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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ZugzwangZugzwang (TSOOKS-vahng), position in which the move makes a worse resultIt is German for tight spot 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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More Attacks Than He Can HandleForkDiscovered AttackDouble AttackZwischenzug (German: In between move) 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Fork 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *White plays 1. g5+, and the only move for Black is 1. h5.Then With forks the King and Rook with 2. Be2+ Kh4 3. Bxd1.

Knight forks are more common, but the Queen, Rook, Bishop and Pawn can also create a fork by attacking two pieces with one move.

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Discovered Attack 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *White has a discovered attack on the by moving the White Bishop to expose the threat from the White Rook on d1.

1. Bxh7+ Kxh7 2. Rxd6

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Double Attack 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *White plays 1. Rg8, with a double attack on the King (called double check).

The only legal move for Black is1. Kxg8, and Black has no answer to 2. Rg1# checkmate.

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Zwischenzug (TSVEYE-shun-tsook)German for "intermediate move", is a tactic where instead of playing the expected move (commonly a recapture of a piece that the opponent has just captured) an immediate threat is made that the opponent must answer, then the expected move is played. 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Zwischenzug 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *After White played 1. dxe5, Black plays 1. dxe5 and expects White to play 2. Qxd8.

Instead, White plays 2. Bxf7+, and Black is forced to play 2. Kxf7, and Black loses the Queen to 3. Qxd8.

From the Sicilian Magnus Smith Trap

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Remove the DefenderDeflectionOverloadingOverprotectingDecoyClearance Sacrifice 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Deflection 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *Deflection is a tactic that lures the opponents main defending piece away from what is being defended.

The Black Queen on e7 is overworked, defending both the Knight on f6 and the Bishop on a3.

1. Bxf6 Qxf6 2. Rxa3

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Overloading 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *Overloading is a chess tactic in which a defensive piece is given an additional defensive assignment which it cannot complete without abandoning its original defensive assignment.

The White Bishop is busy with the threat from the Black Bishop on f3. Adding the Black Queen on h3 is too much for White.

1. Qh3 2. Bxh3 Ne2# OR1. Qh3 2. Bxf3 Nxf3+ 3. Kh1 Qxh2#

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OverprotectingOverprotecting is using more pieces than are needed to protect a square.This tactic can prevent your defenders from being removed, or create opportunities for a defender to attack. 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Decoy 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *Decoy is a tactic that lures an opponents piece to a square that is bad for the opponent.

Playing 1. g5+ decoys the Black King to g5, since there is no other legal move.

1. g5+ Kxg5 2. Qf4#

The Black Pawns on g6 and h5 prevent the Black King from escaping the checkmate.

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Clearance Sacrifice 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *Clearance Sacrifice is a tactic that sacrifices one of your pieces to clear the way for an attackby some of your other pieces.

White could fork the King and Queen if his own Queen was not in the way, so it is sacrificed.

1. Qxf5 Rxf5 2. Ne6+ K-(any)3. Nxc7 Rxf1+ 4. Rxf1

White ends up with a Rook and Knight vs. a Bishop for a won endgame.

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Visualize Checkmate PatternsBack Rank MatesTry to cover every flight squareConsider killing defenders at any costPractice: Solve direct-mate problems 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *If the student forces himself to examine all moves that smite, however absurd they may look at first glance, he is on the way to becoming a master of tactics. Cecil Purdy, International Master

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Analytical Method in Chess ThinkingBefore each move, ask yourself:Does my opponents last move contain a threat? If so, deal with it.Are my own pieces all adequately protected? Has my opponent left a piece exposed to capture for free?Is my King still safe? Is the opponents King vulnerable? 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Before Each Move (contd)Did my opponent meet the threat offered by my last move?Do I still have pieces that need development?Can I move a Rook to an open file, especially the d- or e- file? Is it possible to double up Rooks or a Queen and Rook on a useful open file? 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Before Each Move (contd)Does my opponent have a weakness that can be exploited?If so, how can the weakness be exploited? Make a plan to exploit the weakness.What could my opponent do to stop my plan? Is it easier for my opponent to stop the plan than it is for me to launch the plan? 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Before Each Move (contd)Does the move I plan to make overlook something very simple such as the loss of a piece or checkmate?

2011Chess Merit BadgePage *Methodical thinking is of more use in chess than inspiration.

Cecil Purdy, International Master

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Piece Mobility RulesLook for opportunities to create, maintain, and increase your piece mobility.Central control is not an end in itself. Be prepared use central control to strike out from the center into the enemy position, including into corners where the King lurks.Grab open files for Rooks and Queens.Put Bishops on open diagonals and a longer diagonal is usually better.Maneuver Knights in or near the center.In the opening, keep your Queen at home unless there is a compelling reason to move the Queen like a winning attack.Get the Queen in the middle of the fight once other pieces are developed. 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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RequirementsDo the following: Explain four of the following elements of chess strategy: exploiting weaknesses, force, king safety, pawn structure, space, tempo, time.Explain any five of these chess tactics: clearance sacrifice, decoy, discovered attack, double attack, fork, interposing, overloading, overprotecting, pin, remove the defender, skewer, zwischenzug. 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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Strategy and TacticsTactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do; strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do. - Savielly Tartakower, GrandmasterOn the chess board, and in your life: Do you see the available opportunities?Do you create strategic advantages when there is nothing to do? 2011Chess Merit BadgePage *

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